The teams are 8-8 this season with Hickory 5-2 at home. The Crawdads have taken 6 of the last 9 games. Since 2009 – the start of the Crawdads-Rangers affiliation, Hickory is 104-71 overall, 50-32 at home. The Intimidators are looking for the first season-series win vs. Hickory since 2010 (9-7).

Kannapolis has won 7 of 12 vs. Hickory this season, though the Crawdads have won 2 of 3 in the only series played at L.P. Frans this season. Since 2009 – the start of the Crawdads-Rangers affiliation, Hickory is 101-70 overall, 47-32 at home. The Intimidators are looking for the first season-series win vs. Hickory since 2010 (9-7).

The Intimidators are 6-4 vs. Hickory in 2018, which includes a 5-2 record at Intimidators Stadium. The Crawdads won 2 out of 3 in the last series played between the two squads last month at Hickory. Hickory won the season series in 2017 12-10, which included a 7-5 edge at Intimidators Stadium. Since the start of the Crawdads affiliation with the Rangers in 2009, Hickory is 100-69 against Kannapolis, 53-37 at Intimidators Stadium. The Intimidators last won a season series vs. Hickory in 2010 (9-7).

About the Crawdads:

The Crawdads won the final three games of a series vs. Greensboro… Hickory has the fewest road wins (14-23) in the SAL… Defensively, the Crawdads have gone three straight games without an error and are currently third in the SAL in fewest errors committed and fielding pct. (.975)… Collectively at the plate, Hickory remains near the bottom of several SAL’s statistical categories. However, they continue to pommel home runs (five in the last three games) and are currently third in the SAL at 70. The team .243 batting avg. is 13th out of 14 teams and they are last in doubles… Though improved in recent days, Hickory is tied for the most walks issued and is 12th in WHIP (1.34).

A near shoo-in for the first-half, Northern Division title, Kannapolis lost its final five games, which shifted the playoff spot to Lakewood (N.J.). Since then, a rash of promotions has the Intimidators regrouping to start the second half. Kannapolis split a four-game series at Rome (Ga.) as a part of a 4-7 stretch.

Kannapolis swept earned its first sweep of the Crawdads of any kind since at least 2004. Hickory won the season series in 2017 12-10, which included a 7-5 edge at Intimidators Stadium. Since the start of the Crawdads affiliation with the Rangers in 2009, Hickory is 96-66 against Kannapolis, 51-35 at Intimidators Stadium. The Intimidators last won a season series vs. Hickory in 2010 (7-9).

About the Crawdads:

The Crawdads split a four-game series at home against Rome (Ga.) and went 4-3 during their recent homestand…The offense at times continues to struggle at scoring runs. Though it is at .256/.332/.381 with runners on base, Hickory is third-to-last in runs scored as the Crawdads have trouble starting rallies early. Leading off an inning, the Crawdads have a .223/.290/.394 mark. Also 22 of the team’s 29 homers have been solo shots. Oddly, Hickory is last in doubles. In the middle of the pack of the SAL statistically, the slash line of .226/.294/.343 on the road has been a big part of why they are 3-13… Though better in recent days – Hickory allowed four or fewer runs in four of the last six contests – the staff ERA (4.86) during May is 12th out of 14 teams in the SAL. Overall, the Crawdads have give up the second most walks in the SAL and are 12th in WHIP (1.42).

Ryan Dorow went 5-for-11 in the recent series against Rome (photo courtesy of Tracy Proffitt)

Prospects to watch- Hickory (rankings are by MLB.com):

CF Bubba Thompson (No. 6): 2018 stats: 8-for-25, 3 2B, 1 HR, 2 BB, 3 K, 2 SB. Last series vs.Rome: 4-for-16, 2 2B, R, 2 RBI. First-round pick of the Rangers in 2018 out of McGill-Toolen High, Mobile, AL. Joined the team last Wednesday. Had at least one hit in five of the six games he played, two or more hits in three of them.

UT Ryan Dorow: 2018 stats: .300/.383/.471, 3 2B, 3 HR, 8 BB, 31 K. Last series vs. Rome: 5-for-11, 1 SB, 4 K. Thirtieth-round pick in 2017 out of Adrian (Mich.). Attended South Haven (Mich.) HS. Has started to see more playing time, rotating around the infield. Played in four straight and five of the last six games.

OF Franklin Rollin: 2018 stats at Down East: .209/.277/.279, HR, 2 BB, 9 K, 1 SB, 2 CS. Played in just 16 games at Down East, sent to Hickory on Monday and will slide into a fourth outfield role at Hickory. Signed an international free agent contract with the Rangers in 2013. Native of La Romana, D.R.

Kannapolis is managed by Justin Jirschele in his second season with the team (93-82). The Intimidators won the SAL North first-half title and went on to the playoffs before losing in the championship series to Greenville (S.C.)…The Intimidators have the SAL’s best mark in May at 11-3 after winning five of seven during the recent road trip to Asheville and Greenville (S.C.)…Kannapolis far outpaces the rest of the SAL with a .285 batting avg. (Delmarva is second at .267). It also leads in OBP (.351), runs scored, hits, RBI, total bases, and OPS (.774). The Intimidators are second in doubles and slugging pct. (.423)…The team’s pitching has also been solid with a staff ERA of 2.97… Kannapolis has been nearly unbeatable at home in 2018, going 15-3. The Intimidators have yet to lose back-to-back home games this season.

PROBABLES (Hickory/ Kannapolis) (Note Crawdads pitchers supplied by Rangers media mailings/ Kannapolis probables based on usage by team to date. All pitching assignments scheduled to change):

Tuesday: RHP Tyler Phillips vs. LHP Parker Rigler

Wednesday: RHP Tyree Thompson vs. RHP Kade McClure

Thursday: RHP Alex Eubanks vs. Lincoln Henzman

Recent Series History:

Hickory won the season series in 2017 12-10, which included a 7-5 edge at Intimidators Stadium. Since the start of the Crawdads affiliation with the Rangers in 2009, Hickory is 96-63 against Kannapolis, 51-32 at Intimidators Stadium. The Intimidators last won a season series vs. Hickory in 2010 (7-9).

About the Crawdads:

The Crawdads salvaged the final game of three against Delmarva (Md.) over the weekend and settled for a 2-4 homestand against the Shorebirds and Greensboro… Hickory is 2-8 on the road, but split the last roadtrip 2-2 at Columbia… The Crawdads remain solid defensively with a SAL-low 18 errors committed. That has helped minimized some damage by the pitching staff, which had some rough patches over the homestand with six or more runs allowed in three of the final four games (25 total). Walks continue to plague the team as the staff is tied for second with 82 in 22 games. The group has struck out 184, the third fewest in the SAL… At the plate, Hickory is solidly in the middle of the SAL in slash stats .242/.309/.377. They put the ball in play for the most part. The Crawdads are next to last in Ks and last in walks received.

Kannapolis is managed by Justin Jirschele in his second season with the team (82-79). The Intimidators won the SAL North first-half title and went on to the playoffs before losing in the championship series to Greenville (S.C.)… Kannapolis returns home after a 3-4 trip to Delmarva (Md.) and Lakewood (N.J.). The Intimidators threw a two-hitter in the finale against the BlueClaws but lost 1-0 as they stranded 13. They were shutout twice on the trip and scored 19 runs over the seven games – ten of those came over the first two games of the series at Lakewood… Kannapolis at the plate is second in batting (.263) and hits, and third in OBP (.332) and doubles…Kannapolis has been stingy with runs this season with a team ERA of 2.36. The WHIP of 1.12 is third in the SAL.

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